Operation Home Delivery
June 22-24, 2007
Around 150 volunteers helped frame a house on the campus of New Hampshire Community Technical College in Nashua the weekend of June 22-24, 2007. 
The panels were then labeled, disassembled, and shipped to Mobile County Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Alabama to help a family displaced by hurricane Katrina in the late summer of 2005. This was one of the final houses constructed as part of Operation Home Delivery, and it was the only one built in New Hampshire.
Operation Home Delivery was created as an interim initiative by Habitat for Humanity International to jump start the rebuilding efforts after hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the fall of 2005. The program was debuted nationwide on the Today Show with the first houses being built in Rockefeller Center. Local Habitat for Humanity affiliates around the country were invited to apply to build one of about 300 houses planned for this stage until houses could be entirely built on lots in the affected area. Greater Nashua Habitat for Humanity applied to be a part of this program in November 2005.
Being a small affiliate, we could not afford the $75,000 sponsorship nor the $25,000 partial sponsorship required for each house to be built. Thus, we had to wait until Habitat for Humanity International could find a sponsor for us to build a house-in-a-box. In the spring of 2006, a sponsor was found and we were selected to build a house for the Mobile County HFH affiliate in Alabama – one of 40 going to that affiliate. Due to a lack of volunteers in that area, it was requested that the house not be built and shipped until the spring of 2007. $5,000 is budgeted for the framing materials for each hose, and $5,000 is budgeted for shipping the house to its final destination. The remaining $65,000 is for completing the house at its final location.
The framing was scheduled for five 3-hour sessions over the course of the weekend with 20-25 volunteers, plus team leaders, per session to maximize the number of people participating. Each session was filled with individuals and groups. Several churches sent teams to participate, as well as the youth sector of the NAACP. Many Nashua High School South students and faculty that went to Baton Rouge, Louisiana during their spring break to help rebuild also volunteered during the Sunday morning session. A team from Target helped finish the framing Sunday afternoon.
Many contributed to make this project a success. Lucille Jordan, president of New Hampshire Community Technical College in Nashua, made the front of the campus available for the framing and opened the cafeteria and restrooms for use by volunteers. Many of the staff there made sure everything went smoothly – especially Shirley Silva-Paige, who also helped with the planning. Home by Paradise and Littleton Lumber donated the building materials needed for the framing. Maersk, Inc. donated the shipping from Nashua to Mobile. Sodexho’s Hospital services unit provided box lunches for Saturday and Sunday, along with water. Friday evening, Texas Roadhouse donated party platters and Foodee’s of Milford donated pizzas and salad. The team from Target provided Gatorade and water. Wal-Mart also donated water. Panera Breads and Dunkin’ Donuts gave pastries for the mornings.
The Nashua Area Interfaith Council (NAIC) raised over $2,800 toward the efforts. The Nashua Church of Christ held a bake sale on Saturday and raised over $230 to help fund the Katrina relief efforts. Volunteers participating during the weekend also made donations of about $150.
Overall, everybody had a very enjoyable weekend working on the house-in-a-box and achieved a great sense of contribution. Everyone participating got to sign the event banner for posterity.
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